Jaundice

Jaundice is a yellow color tinge to the skin and whites of the eyes. It can occur in both children and adults. The immune system is able to get rid of it easily unless there is a serious problem with the liver or biliary system. There are three types of jaundice: haemolytic jaundice, hepatocellular jaundice and obstructive jaundice.

What Causes Jaundice?

One of the functions of the liver is to remove a yellow chemical called bilirubin from the body. It is found in the bile and the body removes it from the bloodstream by passing it through the liver to the kidneys for disposal. If there is too much bilirubin or the liver is not able to get rid of it, you can get jaundice.

Haemolytic Jaundice

Too much bilirubin is produced due to the excessive breakdown of red blood cells. This could be due to your metabolism, or a medical condition like anemia.

Hepatocellular Jaundice

This is caused when the bilirubin cannot leave the liver cells and gets into the bile. This is usually caused by liver failure, liver disease, hepatitis or taking certain drugs. Excessive alcohol intake can lead to liver failure.

It can also be caused by a tumor in the liver or a tumor elsewhere that has spread to the liver.

Obstructive Jaundice

This occurs when there is an obstruction in the bile duct and the bilirubin cannot leave the liver. It is normally caused by a gallstone, tumor or cyst in the bile duct or pancreas.

Some inherited conditions like Gilbert’s syndrome, Rotor’s syndrome or Crigler-Najjar syndrome can make one more likely to have jaundice.

Jaundice Symptoms

The prominent jaundice symptom is the yellowing of the whites of the eyes. You may also have other symptoms like tiredness, abdominal pain, weight loss, vomiting and fever.

Those with obstructive jaundice may have urine that is darker than usual and stool that is paler. Your skin may also be very itchy.

Jaundice Treatment

Treatment of jaundice is dependent on its cause. That is why Miracles for Men advise that you seek medical attention.

• If jaundice is caused by and obstruction, you may need surgery to remove it,
• If it is caused by your medication, your doctor may prescribe an alternative,
• If it is caused by anemia, you may be required to take iron tablets,
• If it is caused by hepatitis, you may need to heal the hepatitis, and
• If you have liver damage, you may have to stop taking alcohol. In very serious cases, you may need a liver transplant

Preventing Jaundice

The best way to prevent jaundice is to take care of your liver. Do not take excessive amounts of alcohol. Drink lots of water while cutting down on coffee, tea or fizzy drinks that contain caffeine. You can also quit smoking.

As usual a healthy diet with lots of vegetables and low fat should help. Get regular exercise and adequate sleep.

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